We are looking for an experienced and knowledgeable economist who will help us change people lives in Latin America and the Caribbean sharing applied knowledge and leverage the impact of our knowledge products to strengthen our operations. 

ABOUT THE IDB: 

At the Inter-American Development Bank, we are devoted to improving lives. Since 1959, we have been a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social, and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. We do more than lending though. We partner with our 48-member countries to provide Latin America and the Caribbean with groundbreaking research about relevant development issues, policy advice to inform their decisions, and technical assistance to improve on the planning and execution of projects. For this, we need people who not only have the right skills but also are passionate about improving lives. 

OUR CULTURE: 

Our people are committed and passionate about improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean, and they get to do what they love in a diverse, collaborative, and multicultural work environment. We are the first Latin American and Caribbean development institution to be awarded the EDGE certification, recognizing our strong dedication to gender equality.  We encourage women, afro-descendants, Indigenous peoples, the LGBTQ+ Community, and persons with disabilities to apply. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job interview process. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please e-mail us at HRSC@iadb.org  to request reasonable accommodation to complete this application. 

WHAT YOU WILL DO:   

• Lead and assess innovative research to determine what relevant issues IDB should pursue in its regional and country research agenda, strategy formulation and operational program. 

• Design and implement a structured framework for CCB’s knowledge agenda, ensuring alignment with institutional and client priorities at regional and country levels and integrating knowledge products into the operational cycle to guide strategic dialogue and programming.  

• Ensure that knowledge products focus on high-priority, scalable topics that address region-wide challenges and institutional priorities while tailoring interventions to country-specific contexts and client needs. 

• Contribute to the design of operations providing substantial input through the utilization of best practices, empirical evidence, and economic theory. Additionally, incorporate lessons learned from operational knowledge into future projects and strategies, ensuring that feedback loops enhance both the relevance and impact of operations and knowledge.  

• Help the IDB gain a broader view of economic issues to promote innovation, creative thinking, and intellectual curiosity. 

• Build networks with international organizations, academic institutions, think tanks, government officials, and professional bodies to exchange information, promote research initiatives, and expand the influence of the IDB.  

• Lead economic policy dialogue and broad discussions on substantive development issues with senior policy makers, thereby influencing policy discussion through advanced knowledge of sector and/or economic issues. 

•   Advises in the identification of critical issues for the Regional Policy Dialogue and promote quality enhancement of this key instrument to strengthen the dialogue on the most pressing issues for the region between CCB and high-ranking public officials, research organizations and public and private sector institutions.   

• Articulate technically sound and compelling analyses for the formulation, monitoring, and evaluation of IDB country strategies, presenting relevant data and arguments in support of position. 

• Lead a team of economists to perform advanced macroeconomic analysis in the region, contribute to the design of operations and support the country dialogue, using innovative techniques assuring high standards of technical quality of the knowledge products.   

• Develop and oversee the knowledge program of analytical studies of CCB, focused on knowledge applied to IDB Group operations. Ensure that the knowledge products are of technical high quality and properly aligned to management objectives.  

• Lead the dissemination of such knowledge products within and outside the IDB Group, in a broad and effective manner, identifying target audiences and appropriate communication media to reinforce IDB positioning in the region. 

• Work collaboratively with colleagues within the IDB Group, to coordinate the economic programs, knowledge products, and initiatives to bring to bear their strategic development impact and optimize information exchange and the adoption of good practice. 

• Identify needs and interests of clients and partners and work to align them with the IDB’s economic strategy and goals. 

• Represent CCB in the Bank's Studies, Publications Committee and Knowledge Advisory Committee.   

• Coordinate with the Department of Research and Chief Economist (RES) to work on joint knowledge products.  

• Interact with the Vice Presidency of Countries (VPC) and other departments to collaborate on knowledge generation, ensuring the development of knowledge that extends beyond CCB while incorporating best practices and insights from other regions. 

• Ensure coherence and alignment between knowledge generation and regional programs under the purview of CCB, 

• Coordinate closely with VPS, IDB Invest, and IDB Lab to align knowledge products with strategic priorities and operational needs, ensuring integrated approaches to development challenges. 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND PROFICIENCY: 

Technical Competencies 

• Economic Analysis and Research: Demonstrates a command of statistics, econometrics and economic theory, and the ability to design, conduct and evaluate economic research. 

• Strategy Programming: Informs, formulates, monitors, and evaluates country and/or sector strategies, and acts to sustain and reinforce their implementation.  

• Produces and links applied public policy research to strategic and operational activities in the Caribbean Countries, Barbados, Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. 

• Results Management: Critically analyzes and validates the economic data, assumptions, and design underlying IDB projects and programs, and ensures their efficient and successful coordination, implementation, and evaluation. 

• Knowledge Management and Dissemination: Effectively disseminates research findings and provides advice on economic trends and development needs and conveys highly technical economic and development-related content to different audiences. 

• Relationship Management: Develops, builds, maintains and strengthens ongoing relationships with government counterparts and a diverse network of development practitioners, stakeholders, academia and third parties who are relevant to the IDB Group´s mission in the Caribbean to better inform IDB priorities and the formulation of sound economic strategy and approaches. 

• Country/Sector Knowledge: Understands the main development challenges and policies of countries and/or sectors, and the implications for IDB country and/or sector strategies and programs. Understands the role of the private sector in the development of the CCB region and will be able to identify challenges and opportunities to better integrate and maximize public-private synergies in the IDB Group´s work in the CCB countries. 

• Alignment and Coordination: Aligns efforts across the matrixed institution, is highly collaborative and promotes a unified and client centric approach. 

CORE COMPETENCIES 

• Innovation and Creativity: Develops imaginative ideas and solutions through creativity, experimentation, and critical thinking. 

• Communication and Influence: Communicates effectively and uses relationships and strategies to influence others through analytical work and shows technical and soft skills to build partnerships inside and outside the IDB.  

• Client Focus: Understands client needs and provides services that meet their expectations for quality and performance; meets the IDB's expectations for ethical behavior. 

• Developing People and Teams to Deliver Results: Builds talent and capability inside the organization through coaching, mentoring, training, developmental assignments, and knowledge sharing. 

• Promoting Diversity and Inclusion: Fosters a diverse work environment and actively work to build, coach, and empower teams with a diverse set of backgrounds (e.g., gender, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, background, perspective). 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Education: Ph.D. in Economics degree from a reputable university. Outstanding professional background, and strong technical competencies. 

Experience: At least 15 years of senior level experience, either in private or public/ government institutions in high level economic roles. At least 10 years of relevant professional experience as a leading economist in organizations concerned with the development and macroeconomic issues in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), or as an established researcher working on relevant economic issues in LAC and other emerging and developing regions. Proven experience in addressing high-level national authorities and conveying highly technical issues, with context-specific pertinence and clear understanding of political economy issues. Supervisory capacity. 

Publications: Solid publications on economic issues relevant to Caribbean Countries economies track record, with focus on applied knowledge. Ability to disseminate broadly and effectively the results of those publications. Of special interest are expertise in areas such as Gender, Youth, Diversity, Inclusion, Climate Change and Sustainability, Institutional strengthening.  

Languages: Excellent communications skills. Fluency in English.  Knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese highly desirable 

Other: Willingness to travel, ability to work in a multicultural environment, outstanding interpersonal skills. 

Citizenship: You are a citizen of one of our 48-member countries. We may offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you and your eligible dependents. 

Consanguinity: You have no family members (up to fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including spouse) working at the IDB Group. 

TYPE OF CONTRACT AND DURATION 

•     International staff contract, 36 months initially, renewable upon mutual agreement. 

Business Unit: As a part of the Vice-Presidency for Countries, the CCB Department (Barbados, The Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago) main functions are to monitor macroeconomic developments in the region, lead the policy dialogue with borrowing countries, determine the Bank’s financial exposure in the region and formulate country strategies. 

To contribute to these goals, the selected candidate will address a wide range of challenging policy issues that span across different branches of economics, assess policy options, and prepare reports for Senior Management. You will have an outstanding professional background, strong technical competencies, excellent communications skills, proven experience in dealing with country authorities, a clear understanding of political economy issues, a track-record of generating and disseminating applied knowledge, and supervisory capacity.  

Reports to: CCB Department general manager 

Location: Headquarters (Washington, DC) 

WHAT WE OFFER: 

The IDB Group provides benefits that respond to the different needs and moments of an employee’s life. These benefits include:   

Compensation:  Competitive compensation package with an annual base salary expressed on a net-of-tax basis. 

Leave and vacation: 24 days of paid time off, 8 personal days, sick leave, and gender- neutral parental leave. 

Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical coverage for employees and eligible dependents, including, dental, vision, preventive care, and prescription drugs.  

Pension plan: Defined-benefit pension plan to support financial security and future planning.  

Relocation and Visa Support: Assistance with relocation and visa applications for employees and their families, when applicable. 

Flexible Work Options: Hybrid and adaptable work schedules. 

Health and Well-being: Access to our Health Services Center, which provides preventive care and health education.  

Professional Development: Access to mentoring, 1:1 professional counseling, training, language classes, mobility options, and more to enhance career growth.  

Additional Perks: Lactation Room, daycare center, gym, bike racks, parking, spouse career support program, and others.  

OUR CULTURE   

At the IDB Group, we work so everyone brings their best and authentic selves to work, willing to try new approaches without fear, and where they are accountable and rewarded for their actions.  

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) are at the center of our organization. We celebrate all dimensions of diversity and encourage women, LGBTQ+ people, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply.  

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job interview process.  

Our Human Resources Team reviews carefully every application.   

About the IDB Group 

The IDB Group, composed of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IDB Invest, and the IDB Lab, offers flexible financing solutions to its member countries to finance economic and social development through lending and grants to public and private entities in Latin America and the Caribbean.